International Cycling Union strips Armstrong of Tour Titles

The International Cycling Union announced Monday that it will not appeal the United States Anti-Doping Agency's decision to prohibit Lance Armstrong's participation in future Olympic games, The New York Times reported.

The ICU's decision formally stripped Armstrong of the Tour titles he won form 1999-2005, The New York Times reported. Armstrong's name will also be removed from the Tour de France record books.

Christian Prudhomme, the race director of the Tour, said the Tours that Armstrong won will not have an official winner because many of the other cyclists were also linked to doping, The New York Times reported.

The U.S. Anti-Doping agency found "overwhelming" evidence that Armstrong participated in "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program," the Cable News Network reported.

Pat McQuaid, the president of the cycling union, said "Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling," CNN reported. McQuaid said "We've come too far in the fight against doping to go back to the past," The New York Times reported.

Armstrong was accused in June of doping and encouraging teammates to take performance-enhancing drugs. Armstrong denied the charges, but in August he dropped out of the legal battle for his family's sake, The New York Times reported Armstrong said.

As a result of the accusations, Armstrong lost major supporters like Nike, and he stepped down as chairman of his cancer charity, The Lance Armstrong Foundation, The New York Times reported.

The French Cycling Association repeated its request that Armstrong repay the nearly $4 million he received for winning the Tours, CNN reported.

The International Olympic Committee is considering taking away the bronze metal that Armstrong won at the 2009 Sydney Olympics, The New York Times reported.

The World Anti-Doping Agency has 21 days to decide if it wants to appeal the U.S. Agency's decision. If it doesn't appeal, Armstrong's case will be closed, The New York Times reported.